5th Sunday OT
Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP
Jesus
states the obvious, “A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.”
It might be difficult to reach. Obscured by clouds on occasion. Or
nearly impregnable to a siege. But it can't be hidden. It sits there
among the rocks and trees for all to see. Looking up, for all to see.
What do we see when we look at the city? Walls, gates, traffic,
thriving markets, lots of people. We might see security, comfort. Or
crime and filth. Crowded streets and tenements. Strangers,
foreigners, friends. Whatever we see, we see b/c the city cannot be
hidden. Its presence dominates, overwhelms – a living thing made
from dead stone. Jesus tells us that the mountaintop city cannot be
hidden nor can our good works. Like that city, our works for the
greater glory of God must be monumental, stone-solid, unavoidable to
even the most disinterested tourist. Like that city, our witness to
the Father's mercy must be visible to the countryside from miles
away; a landmark for both pilgrims and sinners alike. If not, then we
are “no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and
trampled underfoot.” Do your words and deeds help to build God's
unhideable city on the hill?
Jesus'
admonition to his disciples – stay salty and don't hide your light
– is more than a moral lesson or a quick tip for pastoral
effectiveness. Staying salty and bright is The Way that we followers
of Christ work out our salvation and lead others to theirs. This is
why Jesus says that tasteless salt is to be thrown out and trampled
on. Salt that cannot season has lost its purpose, lost its usefulness
and keeping it around is a sentimental waste of space. What use is
dry water or cold fire? What use is a light hidden under a basket? If
it can't shine and show the way to the lost, then it's a waste. Our
words and deeds spoken and done for the greater glory of God are to
be spoken and done in the brightness of the day, in the direct light
of the noonday sun for all to see. Not hidden. Not done in darkness.
Not whispered or mumbled. But boldly, loudly spoken and done without
hesitation or ambiguity, without recourse to the “sublimity of
words” or the seductions of worldly wisdom. We work out our
salvation and bring others to theirs by speaking and acting plainly
for the glory of God so that the Good News of His mercy shines out
from that unhideable city on the hill.
What
does “speaking and acting plainly for the glory of God” mean in
2014 A.D.? It means exactly what it meant in 56 A.D. when Paul
confesses to the Corinthians that he was “resolved to know nothing
while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” To
know nothing but Christ crucified means to frame your mind, your
heart, and your soul with the undeniable and enduring truth that the
Son of God, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for your salvation and
rose from the dead so that you too might be raised on the last day.
To know nothing but Christ crucified means that your every act, every
word, every thought is motivated by nothing else but the compulsive
drive to behave, speak, and think according to the Good News Christ
came among us to preach. To know nothing but Christ crucified means
that you accept as your only mission the imperative to bear witness
to all so that all might find their peace in Christ. Is this
difficult task? Paul writes to the Corinthians, “I came to you in
weakness and fear and much trembling. . .” If Paul was weak,
afraid, and trembling while bearing witness to his brothers and
sisters, then we should expect nothing less for ourselves as we bear
witness to Christ in a world ruled by the Enemy. Thus, Jesus tells us
to stay salty and bright.
How
do we do that? How do we stay salty and bright while bearing witness
to the Good News? There's a much overused word that we Christians
need to reclaim from our corrupted culture. That word is
“authenticity.” Being authentic means to be real, to be honest,
transparent. Being authentic invokes truthfulness, goodness, and
beauty. We want authentic art work, authentic music, authentic
liturgy. But the definition we want here is “conforming to an
original so as to reproduce essential features.” Christ is the
original. We are charged with reproducing his essential features so
that our witness is “authentic.” No fakes. No forgeries. No
knockoffs. Just the real deal, full-fat, 100% guaranteed, 24kt gold
Gospel witness. This means – at minimum – that we believe the
Gospel and live that belief. We lose our saltiness and our brightness
when we allow the wisdom of the world creep into our hearts and
minds. It starts small. Payback for an insult. Tit for tat. Waiting
to forgive until an apology is forthcoming. Praying and giving to be
seen. Failing to give God thanks for His blessings. Small things peck
away at our authenticity until there's nothing left but our broken
word. Reproduce the original and your authenticity will never be in
doubt.
Let's
talk practically. First, the best witness is a credible witness, and
nothing helps one's credibility more than a clear conscience. Go to
confession! Second, a good witness will have no daylight shining btw
her words and deeds: hypocrisy kills credibility, say and do what
Christ said and did. Third, a good witness will keep the whole truth
in mind and not just the facts. Facts only make sense within the
larger truth. Fourth, a good witness will speak and behave plainly,
without pretense or any effort at drawing attention to himself.
Christ crucified is the object of our testimony not our needy egos.
Fifth, a good witness loves, hopes, and trusts. She loves God and His
creatures; hopes in the resurrection and life eternal; and trusts
that God's promises have been fulfilled. Her love, hope, and trust
will be painfully evident in her words and deeds. And finally, a good
witness knows that he is never alone in bearing witness. Weakness,
fear, and trembling might come along for the ride, but so does the
Holy Spirit, the company of saints, the Church on earth, and every
witness-bearing soul who bears witness to God's mercy. If you are
free in Christ, then you are free to speak and act in his name for
your salvation and the salvation of the world.
That
unhideable city on the hill sits there as a landmark, a point of
destination. It's a place we travel toward in hopes of food, shelter,
fellowship. Our good works, our good witness serves the same purpose.
Right where you are – at home, school, work, out shopping – right
there is someone watching, waiting to hear that their sins are
forgiven and that there is a place for them among the saints. By your
words and deeds show them – show everyone – what it's like to be
freed by Christ!
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